Noah's Dove
2010-02-08 06:49:35 UTC
Ghost Whisperer, Medium, Ghost Hunters, Most Haunted, Ghost Hunters
International, Paranormal State, A Haunting and numerous ghost
movies, often promote communication with spirits of the dead with
sometimes with the hope of understanding hauntings and the afterlife.
Homes that were not previously haunted are becoming so as people
invoke spirits with scrying devices and Ouiji boards. In England and
N. America there are individuals and groups that are offering ghosts
tours were seances and other attempts to contact the dead are done. It
is almost shocking the sheer amount of material on tv, on the
internet, books, etc., that one can find that actively promotes
speaking to the dead. Is there deception and danger in invoking fallen
spirits and ghosts? The following article by Clinton Whalen will look
into what is behind the current interest in paranormal ghost
encounters and the rise of spiritualism.
Isa.8
[19] And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have
familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should
not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?
1Tim.4
[1] Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some
shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and
doctrines of devils;
The Great Deception of Spiritualism by Clinton Wahlen
ascination with the spirit world is growing. People claim to
experience strange phenomena: the feeling of a pet jumping onto the
bed when no pet is there; a person smelling flowers when a loved one
many miles away dies but no flowers are nearby. Others claim special
powers: a �gift of clairvoyance� to read your life story�past,
present, and future; the capacity to �channel� energy vibrations from
the spirit world to heal physical and emotional problems; the ability
to help you get in touch with your previous lives.
People of almost every religious faith in the world, including
Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists, believe that life
continues after death. This belief opens the door to all kinds of
paranormal possibilities, real or imagined. Feeding this deception are
stories of near-death experiences from a variety of individuals.
Subtle and not so subtle suggestions about life after death are made
in books, the media, and in the movies. Oftentimes the message comes
in humorous and seemingly innocuous packaging. Some would see this as
relatively harmless entertainment, but it tends to undermine and
obscure the biblical teaching that the dead know nothing (Eccl. 9:5)
and that it is like a sleep (John 11:13; 1 Thess. 4:13). Worse, it
mainstreams the idea of existence apart from the body and contact with
the dead.
The Spirit World and Spiritualism
The popularity of television programs devoted in some way to talking
or working with the so-called spirits of dead people shows clearly
that the notion is widespread and no longer on the fringes, even of
Western culture.
But the Bible speaks directly and clearly against such activity: �And
when they say to you, �Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who
whisper and mutter,� should not a people seek their God? Should they
seek the dead on behalf of the living? To the law and to the
testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because
there is no light in them� (Isa. 8:19, 20).*
When Isaiah wrote these words, the Scriptures consisted of the Law
(the Pentateuch) and the testimony of prophets like himself. These
sources are ultimately trustworthy because they represent the voice of
God to us. There are many misguided voices in our world today trying
to get our attention, in books, videos, and advertisements. Many of
these voices cannot be trusted because they are �inspired� from
another source�designed by the devil himself to lead us astray.
The only source we can fully trust is God�s voice speaking through His
inspired messengers. Unfortunately, �every day adds its sorrowful
evidence that faith in the sure word of prophecy is decreasing, and
that in its stead superstition and satanic witchery are captivating
the minds of many� (Prophets and Kings, p. 210). Satan designs
different deceptions for different classes of people. Those who would
never think of going to a medium might watch one on TV. And even if we
know better than to listen to people advocating contact with the
spirits, these messages are alluring.
The basic deception of all New Age thinking is that we all have
spiritual powers within, waiting to be used. This supposed wisdom,
while appealing to our selfish desires, is really unspiritual and
devilish (James 3:15). But by repeated exposure through the media to
flattering messages like these, they can become commonplace in our
thinking. We can become desensitized to the danger and not recognize
Satan at work. We may even start to act on some of these messages.
Bible study may become less interesting. After all, Satan doesn�t care
in the end which deception captivates us as long as one of them does.
Fortunately, God gives guidance in His Word so that we can recognize
the misguided messages all around us for what they are.
There are spirits arrayed against us�not spirits of dead people, but
evil angels: �For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but
against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the
darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the
heavenly places� (Eph. 6:12). Our real enemies are beings we cannot
see, who are trying to lure us away from God. But there are also
spiritual armies arrayed for us and against these evil forces. The war
that began in heaven has come here (Rev. 12:13), making the whole
earth the battleground of the universe.
Angels and Spiritualism
Some think that angels are just waiting to do our bidding; all we have
to do is ask. That may be true but, in that case, we may not be
dealing with the kind of angels we think they are! Evil angels will
deceive us and use us if we let them.
God�s angels do not work this way. They cannot be manipulated by us
and are not interested in serving our selfish purposes. In the Garden
of Gethsemane, Jesus told Peter He could be provided with more than 12
legions of angels (72,000!). He did not say He would summon the angels
Himself. Instead, He said, �Do you think that I cannot now pray to My
Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?
� (Matt. 26:53). Everything Jesus did was surrendered to His Father�s
will. If He would not call on angels for help, do we have any right
to?
Jesus also told us that the last deception would, if possible, deceive
even the elect (Matt. 24:24). In Revelation we see Satan and his evil
forces sending out unclean spirits to deceive the world. These spirits
work miracles to deceive as many as possible and gather them into one
massive military force for withstanding God in the battle of
Armageddon. Thus, beforeJesus comes, demonic spirits will work
miracles to deceive those who trust and believe what they see rather
than the testimony of the prophets. Just as Satan can transform
himself into an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14), spirit beings can
assume various guises. They can even use religious piety (see The
Desire of Ages, p. 256). The demons of Revelation 16 will work through
human agents to heal the sick and to utter �revelations� that
contradict the Scriptures (The Great Controversy, p. 624).
The Bible is clear: the dead know nothing. Our real enemies are the
spirits of darkness, evil angels, who will blanket the earth with
deceptions that include miracles orchestrated by Satan himself. We
already see the groundwork being laid for these events, which will
bring an overwhelming delusion upon the world. In order to protect
ourselves from being deceived, we need to pay attention to the clear
guidance God has given us in His Word about what will happen and the
practical steps we can take to RESIST Satan�s schemes.
Perhaps the following acrostic (based on the word �RESIST�) can help:
Recognize the enemy, including his many voices. Even Jesus was able to
do this
only by knowing the Scriptures (Matt. 4).
Exclude anything evil that Satan could work through. By knowing Jesus
personally, not second- or thirdhand (Acts 19:13-18), we will have the
courage to eliminate from our homes any influences that could give
evil angels a foothold from which to operate in our midst (Acts
19:19).
Surrender ourselves and everything we have to God (James 4:7). As we
do this, inviting God�s presence into our home, Satan will be driven
out.
Intercede in prayer for ourselves, for our loved ones, and for others,
including our enemies. Some evil influences are so strong that only
persistent prayer and self-denial will eliminate them (Mark 9:29; Eph.
6:18).
Study the Word. Many pieces of armor for spiritual protection are
listed by Paul as available to us (Eph. 6:14-17), but
the Word of God is the only actual weapon mentioned. In order for it
to be effective, it must be wielded not by us, but by the Spirit
working through us (verse 17).
Teach the truth to others, who will be able to teach others also (2
Tim. 2:2). In this way, the work of God�s kingdom will tear down
Satan�s strongholds and prepare the way for Christ�s return (2 Cor.
10:3-5).
*All scriptures quoted in this article are from the New King James
Version. Copyright � 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
International, Paranormal State, A Haunting and numerous ghost
movies, often promote communication with spirits of the dead with
sometimes with the hope of understanding hauntings and the afterlife.
Homes that were not previously haunted are becoming so as people
invoke spirits with scrying devices and Ouiji boards. In England and
N. America there are individuals and groups that are offering ghosts
tours were seances and other attempts to contact the dead are done. It
is almost shocking the sheer amount of material on tv, on the
internet, books, etc., that one can find that actively promotes
speaking to the dead. Is there deception and danger in invoking fallen
spirits and ghosts? The following article by Clinton Whalen will look
into what is behind the current interest in paranormal ghost
encounters and the rise of spiritualism.
Isa.8
[19] And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have
familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should
not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?
1Tim.4
[1] Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some
shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and
doctrines of devils;
The Great Deception of Spiritualism by Clinton Wahlen
ascination with the spirit world is growing. People claim to
experience strange phenomena: the feeling of a pet jumping onto the
bed when no pet is there; a person smelling flowers when a loved one
many miles away dies but no flowers are nearby. Others claim special
powers: a �gift of clairvoyance� to read your life story�past,
present, and future; the capacity to �channel� energy vibrations from
the spirit world to heal physical and emotional problems; the ability
to help you get in touch with your previous lives.
People of almost every religious faith in the world, including
Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists, believe that life
continues after death. This belief opens the door to all kinds of
paranormal possibilities, real or imagined. Feeding this deception are
stories of near-death experiences from a variety of individuals.
Subtle and not so subtle suggestions about life after death are made
in books, the media, and in the movies. Oftentimes the message comes
in humorous and seemingly innocuous packaging. Some would see this as
relatively harmless entertainment, but it tends to undermine and
obscure the biblical teaching that the dead know nothing (Eccl. 9:5)
and that it is like a sleep (John 11:13; 1 Thess. 4:13). Worse, it
mainstreams the idea of existence apart from the body and contact with
the dead.
The Spirit World and Spiritualism
The popularity of television programs devoted in some way to talking
or working with the so-called spirits of dead people shows clearly
that the notion is widespread and no longer on the fringes, even of
Western culture.
But the Bible speaks directly and clearly against such activity: �And
when they say to you, �Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who
whisper and mutter,� should not a people seek their God? Should they
seek the dead on behalf of the living? To the law and to the
testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because
there is no light in them� (Isa. 8:19, 20).*
When Isaiah wrote these words, the Scriptures consisted of the Law
(the Pentateuch) and the testimony of prophets like himself. These
sources are ultimately trustworthy because they represent the voice of
God to us. There are many misguided voices in our world today trying
to get our attention, in books, videos, and advertisements. Many of
these voices cannot be trusted because they are �inspired� from
another source�designed by the devil himself to lead us astray.
The only source we can fully trust is God�s voice speaking through His
inspired messengers. Unfortunately, �every day adds its sorrowful
evidence that faith in the sure word of prophecy is decreasing, and
that in its stead superstition and satanic witchery are captivating
the minds of many� (Prophets and Kings, p. 210). Satan designs
different deceptions for different classes of people. Those who would
never think of going to a medium might watch one on TV. And even if we
know better than to listen to people advocating contact with the
spirits, these messages are alluring.
The basic deception of all New Age thinking is that we all have
spiritual powers within, waiting to be used. This supposed wisdom,
while appealing to our selfish desires, is really unspiritual and
devilish (James 3:15). But by repeated exposure through the media to
flattering messages like these, they can become commonplace in our
thinking. We can become desensitized to the danger and not recognize
Satan at work. We may even start to act on some of these messages.
Bible study may become less interesting. After all, Satan doesn�t care
in the end which deception captivates us as long as one of them does.
Fortunately, God gives guidance in His Word so that we can recognize
the misguided messages all around us for what they are.
There are spirits arrayed against us�not spirits of dead people, but
evil angels: �For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but
against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the
darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the
heavenly places� (Eph. 6:12). Our real enemies are beings we cannot
see, who are trying to lure us away from God. But there are also
spiritual armies arrayed for us and against these evil forces. The war
that began in heaven has come here (Rev. 12:13), making the whole
earth the battleground of the universe.
Angels and Spiritualism
Some think that angels are just waiting to do our bidding; all we have
to do is ask. That may be true but, in that case, we may not be
dealing with the kind of angels we think they are! Evil angels will
deceive us and use us if we let them.
God�s angels do not work this way. They cannot be manipulated by us
and are not interested in serving our selfish purposes. In the Garden
of Gethsemane, Jesus told Peter He could be provided with more than 12
legions of angels (72,000!). He did not say He would summon the angels
Himself. Instead, He said, �Do you think that I cannot now pray to My
Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?
� (Matt. 26:53). Everything Jesus did was surrendered to His Father�s
will. If He would not call on angels for help, do we have any right
to?
Jesus also told us that the last deception would, if possible, deceive
even the elect (Matt. 24:24). In Revelation we see Satan and his evil
forces sending out unclean spirits to deceive the world. These spirits
work miracles to deceive as many as possible and gather them into one
massive military force for withstanding God in the battle of
Armageddon. Thus, beforeJesus comes, demonic spirits will work
miracles to deceive those who trust and believe what they see rather
than the testimony of the prophets. Just as Satan can transform
himself into an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14), spirit beings can
assume various guises. They can even use religious piety (see The
Desire of Ages, p. 256). The demons of Revelation 16 will work through
human agents to heal the sick and to utter �revelations� that
contradict the Scriptures (The Great Controversy, p. 624).
The Bible is clear: the dead know nothing. Our real enemies are the
spirits of darkness, evil angels, who will blanket the earth with
deceptions that include miracles orchestrated by Satan himself. We
already see the groundwork being laid for these events, which will
bring an overwhelming delusion upon the world. In order to protect
ourselves from being deceived, we need to pay attention to the clear
guidance God has given us in His Word about what will happen and the
practical steps we can take to RESIST Satan�s schemes.
Perhaps the following acrostic (based on the word �RESIST�) can help:
Recognize the enemy, including his many voices. Even Jesus was able to
do this
only by knowing the Scriptures (Matt. 4).
Exclude anything evil that Satan could work through. By knowing Jesus
personally, not second- or thirdhand (Acts 19:13-18), we will have the
courage to eliminate from our homes any influences that could give
evil angels a foothold from which to operate in our midst (Acts
19:19).
Surrender ourselves and everything we have to God (James 4:7). As we
do this, inviting God�s presence into our home, Satan will be driven
out.
Intercede in prayer for ourselves, for our loved ones, and for others,
including our enemies. Some evil influences are so strong that only
persistent prayer and self-denial will eliminate them (Mark 9:29; Eph.
6:18).
Study the Word. Many pieces of armor for spiritual protection are
listed by Paul as available to us (Eph. 6:14-17), but
the Word of God is the only actual weapon mentioned. In order for it
to be effective, it must be wielded not by us, but by the Spirit
working through us (verse 17).
Teach the truth to others, who will be able to teach others also (2
Tim. 2:2). In this way, the work of God�s kingdom will tear down
Satan�s strongholds and prepare the way for Christ�s return (2 Cor.
10:3-5).
*All scriptures quoted in this article are from the New King James
Version. Copyright � 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.